Doha: Qatar National Library’s March calendar is filled with events catering to all age groups. In celebration of Arabic Manuscript Day and to mark the important impact of the Arabic language, the library is particularly focusing on heritage, research, and learning.
On March 2 and in celebration of the Arabic language, the library, in cooperation with the Qatari Forum for Authors, will host Dr. Abdelhak Belabed, Associate Professor at Qatar University, and a member of the Qatari Forum for Authors, to discuss the role that Arabic language plays in promoting the linguistic and cultural security of its speakers.
On March 3, the library will host an interactive practical session that reflects its belief that the key to studying manuscripts is the ability to read correctly, understanding the basics of codicology and transcription methods. The session will begin with a theoretical introduction and tips, followed by a participants’ practical reading with Ahmed Mamdouh, a specialist in copying manuscripts and a reading trainer.
On March 6, the library will shed light on a popular topic discussed worldwide – Metaverse. The event will bring participants together online to learn more about this latest technology. It also aims to highlight how this space is now expanding to include one of the most essential industries: education.
In its role as the IFLA Preservation and Conservation Center for Arab Countries and the Middle East, the library will host a webinar to mark the inauguration of the new mass deacidification plant on March 7. The webinar will build awareness around the importance of paper deacidification in the preservation of documentary heritage and its different techniques, in addition to sharing experiences about the advances and challenges in the deacidification research and methods.
On March 10 , the library invites visitors to meet Qatari photographer Moudhi Hamad Al Hajri to celebrate her book, In Love with Yemen. During her visit, Moudhi will talk about her trip to Yemen from 2007 to 2013, during which she photographed many landmarks of Yemeni civilisation before the war broke out.
On March 13, the library will host a lecture series to answer questions about Islamic manuscript culture. Organised jointly by the library and the Center for Manuscript Studies at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf Üniversitesi in Istanbul, the talks will be held monthly and feature renowned international experts in Islamic codicology and manuscript studies, addressing scholars and the general audience alike.
The library will host an interactive workshop on March 15 in which young adults will learn about the importance of career guidance and choosing the right specialisation. In collaboration with Qatar Career Development Center, participants will have the chance to speak with experts in the field of career guidance and counselling, to help them define their goals and provide professional support to achieve their aspirations and future aims.
On the occasion of Arabic Manuscript Day, which is celebrated on April 4 and marks the beginning of Ramadan, the month of the Quran, the library will host an event on March 30, dedicated to the first Islamic manuscript and the most important of the manuscripts of the Islamic faith: the Holy Quran. The symposium will gather a number of international experts dealing with the traditions of the production of Quranic manuscripts over 14 centuries, covering a vast geographical area.
